Chapter 48 - 1.23-1.26

Chapter 1.23 Fang Xu

The man's name was Fang Xu, and he was damn tired. He sat in his little home, a log-and-plaster house situated at the edge of town, staring out the window at the dense green forest. Grey skies loomed overhead, the sun just starting to rise, and he suppressed a jaw-popping yawn.

"I swear to Father Luotian and Mother Statera," he cursed, rubbing his stomach absently. "I must have been tricked. There's no way a sane, well-informed person would have agreed to a life like this. I don't care what's at the end of the road; this is miserable." To the casual observer, or even most powerful cultivators, it would appear he was talking to himself. There were no other souls within the confines of his one-room hut, the dying light of last night's fire flickering from the fireplace and onto the bare walls as a bitter reminder of his lack of sleep.

Fang Xu scowled and rubbed his face, a headache throbbing in the back of his skull. To say last night had been rough would be an understatement, and it had only been compounded by the fact that the earth spirits wouldn't shut up. As a high-consciousness Fae, he could interact and even see most spirits – especially low-level ones. That, in and of itself, wasn't rare. But when combined with his positive spiritual energy – which had been purified and scoured of all deformities over the course of the past fifty years by his so-called "good" karma – that meant most benign or positive-aligned spirits fucking loved him.

He doubted any one else on Pangaea could see spirits the way he did, except for maybe the gods themselves. As such, he was fully aware that what he said did not go unheard and he was, in fact, talking to someone. He couldn't see her; she didn't like to show herself to him. But he could nonetheless feel the angel Fu Hao as she floated above his humble abode. Her aura was unmistakable, as bright as the Realm Sun itself.

"Relax," she urged. "Go for a walk, it'll be good for you." Fang Xu grumbled to himself as he stood, a wave of vertigo striking him as his fatigue caught up to him, and slipped out of his little hut. Only once he was outside, closing the reed door behind him, breathing in the cool air and tasting the fresh scent of rain on the wind, did he pause.

"What if I don't want to go for a walk?" he grumbled, and wow, wasn't he feeling ornery this morning?

"Then don't." came Fu Hao's reply. Fang Xu sighed and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his fur-lined pants, taking a moment to re-center himself. She was right, of course. A walk to clear his head was a common habit of his, he just didn't want to admit that she was right about something. A storm was brewing on the horizon, chasing the one that had just passed. The trees were wet with rain and glistened in the early-morning light, while birds flitted about merrily in the trees, chasing a meal before the rain came once again to drive them back to bed.

His herb garden was fine, upon brief inspection, the few medicinal plants he grew not having taken any damage from the storm, shielded as they were beneath the overhang of his roof. It hadn't rained hard enough for that last night, anyways. He took two steps forward and paused, thin cloth shoes sliding a little in the mud as his heart directed him in a different direction than he was used to. Normally he wandered the forest a bit on his walks, observing the animals and lesser spirit beasts that made their home around the village but…today he wanted to do something different.

He spun on his heel and wandered into town, already wincing at the headache it might cause. Dark spirits flitted about the town, visible to him as little blurs of negativity darting between houses, as they loved to congregate around large groups of people. The concentrated emotions attracted them, feeding and empowering them. Something was different today, however. The red-tiled rooftops of the little town glistened in the light of the sun, smoke curling from chimneys, and people were already getting up.

Karae and Elementals, as well as a few Avians, dominated the population of the town. Fae like Fang Xu were rare, and he stood out even among them because of his fire-red hair and muscular form. Most people around here were thin and lithe…not broad-shouldered and large-bodied like him.

Everyone expected him to be a soldier, too, because of it. Fang Xu scowled as he noticed his thoughts drifting away from the difference he sensed in town – whatever it was, it felt like there was something blocking his perception of it. An annoyed glance at the sky where he knew Fu Hao was flying said everything he felt about that, even if he wasn't sure she was the one suppressing him. Part of whatever deal he foolishly made with whatever malicious being now had control over his life – not really, but sometimes it truly felt like it – meant that Fu Hao had a greater control over what he could normally feel and see.

Sometimes he felt like she made things happen to him just because it amused her.

Grumbling to himself he wound his way into town, nodding to the few people he met along the way.

It was a beautiful day, in all honesty. The sun was bright, peeking through the clouds as it was, the air was clean, and the chill morning air was perfect. If only the chattering of the spirits could get quieter. The noise rang in his ears like a gong, echoing about in his skull in their excitement and dragging down his own mood. The qi of the land was raging and powerful, driving through the center of town like a wildfire – to his enhanced senses, it felt like he was stepping into a bonfire. It was too much for one with a qi cultivation as low as his.

Yet his feet never stopped moving forward, leading him to where, even he didn't know. With his karma, with his spiritual strength, he should have been a bigger person than he was. Stronger in qi, at a better place in life, doing more. But no, his entire damn life he'd been suppressed, put through spiritual torture and back again, healing others when he himself felt like half of his entire damn being was missing. And kept in this little town, where no one would listen to him, expected more from him, loved and hated him all in equal measure. His scowl deepened, then gave way to deep longing, his head hanging.

Missing half my being. He thought sourly. What an apt description. It always felt like he was missing something, when almost everything more he tried to do with his life failed, when everyone he met never filled that hole of understanding…

His heart longed for love. Yet he had never found it, in the eyes of any of the girls he'd met or in their hearts, either. When he was young, he'd had a few sweethearts. Even over the years he'd met some he might have been able to love. But they loved him for who they imagined him to be, not who he was.

In that moment, he looked up and found himself in the town square. Chatter filled it as people gathered around the relatively large number of strangers that had appeared there. The village elder, a crotchety old man who was more wrinkle than man at this point, stood in the very center of the town square, atop the stone podium that had been erected there, and was speaking in an exaggerated manner to the man before him.

Fang Xu sucked in a deep breath at the sight of the regal Fae. Physically, he was impressive. His shoulders were set and squared, his face hardened by time and trials, the horns that curled from his head sweeping and impressive. In his hand he held a spear, its haft worn in places by constant use. He was every inch a leader…yet to Fang Xu, his spiritual presence was that much greater. The man's energy was like an iron wall, imposing and massive; qi had nothing to do with it. Half of the people in town had a stronger cultivation base than him, to say nothing of the monstrous cultivators in the man's cohort, standing around the podium. Yet Fang Xu had no doubt this man was more powerful than any here.

But then, he met the eyes of the woman next to him. They were blue. She was beautiful, face hidden by a black veil, and spirits of ice swirling around her. I want to marry her. He thought calmly, softly, a statement of fact. Then he furrowed his brows. That thought came from left field. 

"I told you, we don't need any random cultivator," the man on the podium said calmly, voice demanding it be paid attention to despite never harshening his tone. "We need a formations expert. Now, everyone within thirty Li of here says the man Fang Xu is the one you want to see about that. All I'm asking is where he is, nothing more."

"Lord Dei," the elder started. "Master Wu –"

"Is useless to me." The now-identified Dei said bluntly. Fang Xu sighed and shook his head. The elder could be uselessly stubborn at times, and if this man was looking for him for formations help, he was loathe to turn down more business. It was the only thing he seemed to be good at, after all, besides being a punching bag for his karma.

"I am Fang Xu," he said, stepping forward. All eyes snapped to him, but Fang Xu found himself meeting the woman's eyes despite his best intentions. Warmth bloomed in his chest, kind and firm, warm and welcome, and he found himself smiling. With no small effort of will he looked away, meeting Dei's eyes, who was frowning suspiciously. Dark spirits swirled about him, trying and failing to sink their claws into his iron-clad aura. His fellows were not so lucky, dark spirits enflaming their emotions.

"You are he? You don't look like much," the woman said bluntly. His smile just broadened at the accusation.

"Calm, Celene. If his reputation holds true his skills were be invaluable." Dei soothed, stepping off the stone stage. His people parted before him, the woman Celene moving to walk just behind him. Her hair glittered in the sunlight.

"How can I help you?" Fang Xu asked as Dei neared, eyes flicking to Celene, the dark spirits flitting about them both, then back to the man in question.

"We need assistance and advice regarding formations. There is a truly large project we will be undertaking, and require the assistance of a formation's expert." Dei explained. "Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"

"Don't trust him, Fang Xu. They're nomads." The elder spat. Fang Xu shot the crotchety man a look over Dei's shoulder, whose expression tightened at the accusation, but that was little compared to the cold fury that radiated from Celene, blue eyes flashing dangerously behind her veil. The dark spirits around her greedily latched on, enflaming her emotions and feeding off of the negativity that radiated from her. There's a lot of those today,Fang Xu noted, flicking a finger absently, sending a jolt of spiritual energy at the dark spirits and blowing them away.

"Business is business, Elder." Fang Xu replied with a shrug. And if you can't tell that this man is stronger than you despite his lower cultivation, then I question your qualities as a leader. He added mentally. "Come with me to my home, we can talk there." Dei nodded and Fang Xu led the way, walking the group of ten or so cultivators through town toward his little home. The walk was mostly quiet, a number of townsfolk poking their heads out of their homes to stare at the strangers as they passed. "So, where are you from?" Fang Xu asked as they walked.

"Our home was destroyed in the time of chaos," Celene snapped.

"We have been wandering ever since, seeking a new place to call home." Dei finished, glancing over his shoulder at Celene. "That is the reason we come to you. We may have found a place to settle, and could use your…guidance. None of my people are great with formations – we have not had the luxury of sitting down to study the craft."

"I see. My condolences," Fang Xu said. The times of chaos were before his time, but the elders who had lived through parts of it all spoke of them in hushed whispers and grave tones. "I hope I can be of assistance." But he wouldn't be sure if he would even want to until he heard the problem. Would he even be allowed to move? Fu Hao had been insistent he stay here, in this village, despite many opportunities to the contrary.

"I do too," Dei muttered, and the conversation lapsed until they reached his home. To the casual observer, it was a simple place. Only the spiritually attuned could tell the amount of work Fang Xu had put into the thing to try and make his life a bit more comfortable. Stones were strewn haphazardly about the yard, thrown seemingly hither-and-thither, but in truth had a very particular placement to them. And because he was so sensitive to energy – be it qi or spiritual or otherwise – he could tell when even one was out of place. Positive energy practically poured through the center of his home, all light and goodness and positivity, designed to cleanse him of the negativity and darkness that many people so willingly carried within themselves, and forcefully pressed onto him.

Misery loved company, after all.

It still didn't help him sleep, though.

Of the entire group, however, only Celene reacted, staring at the stones with a furrowed brow. Dei watched her closely, which told Fang Xu these people meant actual business, not casual dabbling in formations like most of the people who had hired him before.

Fang Xu invited them all inside, which the group politely declined. Pleasantries out of the way, he launched straight to business, folding his arms across his broad chest as he asked for details. Unsurprisingly it was not Dei who answered, as he seemed unfamiliar with the topic.

"We want to build a city," Celene said softly. "And need the help of a formation's expert to make it feasible. Dei here is paranoid that something like the times of chaos will happen again – a reasonable thing, all things considered, so he wants to line the city with powerful formations that not only make life within easier, but attacking it harder. We will be willing to pay for your services, including for just a consultation. But ideally, if your skills are up to snuff, we would hire you on full-time."

"I see." Fang Xu said, eyebrows raising. "That is…ambitious, to say the least." But it hinged upon him actually wanting to take the job – this was a project that would require years of his life to complete, if it wasn't a lifelong job. Did he want to commit to such a thing? Silence answered that thought, and he glanced at the little house he lived in, then the town that he called home. "Home." Had he ever really considered this place home since his late parents had brought him here forty years ago? The answer was easy. "Let's discuss details."

"Celene will speak with you." Dei admitted. "She is the one most familiar among all my followers with formations." Fang Xu turned his attention to said woman, fully expecting a test of sorts to prove his knowledge of formations. It was a common enough occurrence, due to his low cultivation base and relatively young age many people wanted to test his knowledge. In fact he was expecting it to some degree. Yet what happened defied his expectations to some degree.

Celene grilled him, but it was more of a conversation than a test. And it came quick and easy, often wandering away from their original topic. They discussed life and cultivation, travel – which he had done little save for the villages nearby – and the gods, even. Yet when she did ask questions regarding formation, or Dei chimed in to ask if something was possible, he found the answers coming quick and easy. There were very few who could do what he did, see what he did, and understand how everything worked in conjunction with one another. So even if he hadn't worked on a particular problem that was presented to him, or worked at quite so grand a scale, he found he could still piecemeal an answer together.

The whole thing was sparking something within him, creativity coming in waves and compounded by the warmth he felt while talking with Celene. It felt…natural. Right, in a way that had nothing to do with enjoyment or mere lust for the beautiful woman across from him.

"…the spot we found is on two intersecting ley lines, so power shouldn't be an issue."

"Doesn't matter how much power you have access to if it's not the right flavor. You'll need cleansing formations…"

"You ever had Dragonfire Brandy? Dangerous stuff."

"I've been to the depths of the jungle of mourn. Foul place, but not without its beauty."

"Well what about warding off spirit beasts?"

"You don't want to ward off all spirit beasts. What you want is this…"

And so it went for hours, until the two before Fang Xu seemed satisfied. Dei shot a glance at Celene when the conversation lapsed into silence, the woman herself staring at Fang Xu intensely. It actually made him a bit uncomfortable, such was the intensity of her stare. Dei cleared his throat.

"Celene," he said gently. "Go check on the others while I discuss payment with our new friend." Celene shot him a brief glare, but nonetheless turned on her heel and stalked off, careful to avoid the stones that were part of Fang Xu's formations. He watched her go.

"You have a beautiful wife," he guessed, turning his full attention back to Dei.

"Wife? Gods no. She would sooner fillet me alive than even think of me that way. No, she never moved past her late husband. This is the most alive I've seen her in…well, a long time." Dei said with a shake of his head. "But that is besides the point. Back to business. Fang Xu." At the tone in Dei's voice he straightened, squaring his shoulders and meeting the man's eyes. This was a cultivator who could sweep his entire village with ease, no doubt, and he sounded downright accusatory. "How do you know what you know? No one with your cultivation base should have the knowledge you do. I do not doubt your skill, mind you, only your honesty."

"Qi is not the only method of cultivation. I cultivated my spirit," Fang Xu replied, smiling at Dei. "It's a miserable path, but it lets me do what I do. You should understand this better than most; you do not cultivate qi, either." Dei stared at Fang Xu for a long moment, then nodded sharply.

"As you say." He agreed. "I will admit, you are an easy man to talk to, to admit things to."

"I get that a lot," Fang Xu laughed. It caused him more trouble than it was worth most times, however.

"Good, then allow me to admit something else to you. This is not just a job offer." Dei said bluntly. "This village will be in range of my people's influence once we settle, and I intend to unite all peoples within our range under one banner. I have travelled quite a bit. Crossed quite a bit of country in this past century, and seen more than my fair share of...everything. The Fae, the Karae, the Elementals and Avians…we are not united. If something like the times of chaos happen again, it will be just as bad as before, if not worse. I will give them something to rally around – this city is more than just a home to us." Dei explained. Fang Xu raised his eyebrows.

"The sects –"

"Are disjointed. My people are nearly five thousand strong now, a force greater than anything this part of Pangaea has ever seen. The sects will retain their autonomy, as they have proven bastions of strength, but we will provide the banner. But we need a headquarters. A capital. And it would be best if one of the architects of these places was someone from the local area. You more than fit the criteria needed." Dei stated. "Your payment will be in the form of spirit stones, as well as potential prestige and nobility. Whatever you wish, so long as you deliver on the promises. If you just want to help make it and have your name remain anonymous, that will be fine as well. If you do not wish to aid us, that is acceptable. But let me be clear; once you start on this path, I will not allow you to back out of it."

Fang Xu leaned back a bit, considering his options. He was already on a path that he could not back out of.

"I will need time to think about it." he admitted.

"You have three days." Dei said. "Thank you for your time. I will leave you to the rest of yours." And, with a slight bow, the man walked off. Fang Xu let Dei's statement hang over his head for a moment, considering everything. He was still feeling a little heady from all the information that had been crammed into him, not to mention the feelings of creativity that pounded in his soul.

So he wandered back into his house, sat down, and stared at the wall. And considered his life. And, to his mounting horror, something occurred to him. He was in the perfect position to take this job.

His skills in formations were unique and strong, if he did say so himself. The job itself aligned perfectly with his passion and ambitions – it killed him to stay in these small little towns, but was this truly the answer to all his suffering? He knew nothing of Dei. He knew nothing of the man's plans or ambitions. What he said…Fang Xu could see the potential for Light in it, but also great Dark. And to make things worse, he had no connections to this town, this area. Nothing to keep him here. Again, he was perfect for this job.

"Is this what you've been waiting for?" he mused, looking up at Fu Hao, still flying above him. Her answer was simple.

"Follow your heart." She said. "But remember that only a fool claims to know what he was born for." Fang Xu nodded to himself, and mused, and debated, and thought of the woman Celene.

He had his answer by morning.

Celene cornered Dei the moment he escaped Fang Xu's range of hearing – and to be honest, Dei could only pray the man joined their group. Little as he knew of formations, the man clearly knew what he was doing, and he didn't know what they would do without someone of that caliber to aid them. Kei had been right, the area over the lake was perfect; but to create a city there required making formations his people had no clue how to forge. They needed someone skilled, and creative, and willing to help for more reasons than just their own power. But those thoughts were crushed when Celene cornered him, veil removed, revealing a scowl on her lips and an intensity in her eyes he had not seen in ages.

"Did you know?" she demanded.

"Know what?" Dei asked carefully. This was a rare mood for her, and he always had to be careful around her when she got like this.

"That's him." She pressed.

"Who?"

"Leo. I mean – Fang Xu isn't, he's not my Leo," she said, naming her dead husband. Dei's eyebrows could only go so high, so he let her continue. "You don't believe me. But I know. I spent hours feeling the shape of his soul – that's him. Mother Statera…that's actually him." 

"Celene," Dei started.

"I know it sounds insane." She said, silencing him with a look. The temperature around her was not cold, however, not like he was used to from the frigid woman. It was…hopeful, almost. Her expression had a looseness to it that he had not seen in far too long, a smile dancing on her lips that was almost genuine. It was enough to almost make him believe her. "But I know it. I know it. But he doesn't remember me. I'll have to make him remember."

"Celene, with tact. Even if he is who you say, a lot of time has passed. If reincarnation is real, then…he may not be who you remember." Dei urged, trying to be the voice of reason. Celene nodded sharply, pulling away and looking heavenward. She was silent for a long moment before moving off, heading to do what Dei had originally asked her to do – and he sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "For your sake, I hope he is who you think. And I hope things go well." More importantly, he hoped Fang Xu could do what he said he could. He could only deal with one insane person at a time; Celene was more than enough.

But he wasn't sure. The nature of god was still lost to him, as was large thoughts like reincarnation and the like. All he knew was that he had to find his people a true home, finally, after far too long. And Fang Xu seemed to be the answer to the worst of their problems. You told me to seek guidance. To listen to things, and I'm trying to listen to my heart like everyone says. He thought to himself, thinking back on that fateful encounter he'd had with the green eyed man so long ago. So why is it telling me not to trust Fang Xu? 

With a shake of his head Dei rubbed his face and headed after Celene, fully unaware of the dark forces attempting to manipulate him.

Chapter 1.24 The First Clash

Patience was not one of my many virtues, hence why it may have been a blessing that I was largely in deep meditation when Fang Xu was working on reaching his karmic tribulation. Fifty years is not an especially long time to someone like me, but the wait would still have been agonizing – especially because I'd been looking forward to the reuniting of the two lovers for quite some time now.

And that moment had finally arrived. My consciousness pulled itself awake just enough that I could observe with a sliver of my waking mind. And in the dark of night, on the third day after Dei had sought to employ Fang Xu, the Shadow began to move.

You are not the only one to have set plans. It whispered, speaking to me though it could not see or sense me. See how your allies, your favored children turn against each other. See how they run. See what you refuse to see. 

But I remained still. For I was waiting for it. And I trusted my children.

As an angel, as one of the first angels, Fu Hao had an instinctual connection to the Heavenly Dao in a way that even the Children did not. So she had felt them coming long before anyone else did, and jolted Fang Xu awake with a burst of energy. He twitched in his bed, eyes snapping open as the light that had been building within him for the past three days reached a crescendo, his divine spark roaring to life and setting him to moving before he was even fully awake.

"Fang Xu, awaken," she intoned, standing beside him in all her glory. For the second time in this life she let him see her, pulling away the veil of the spirit realm so only he could sense her presence. His eyes fixated on her and widened, mouth hanging open – it was a far cry from when they had first met, and he had been unable to look at her directly. Now he could look at her, unbowed. She smiled. "It is time."

"For what?" he asked, though in his heart she knew he knew.

"Grab your bow. Your tribulation awaits." She said, nodding sagely. Fang Xu scowled as he rolled out of the pile of furs he called a bed, slipping into his too-tight robes, finding robes that fit his broad stature was difficult in this part of the world, grabbed his yew bow from where it stood in the corner, and followed her out of his house.

"Now? I can't get one night's rest before I have to leave?" Fang Xu complained quietly, rubbing his face. Fu Hao felt a twinge of sympathy for the man – he hadn't slept well in decades because of the spiritual training his karma had put him through and the following spiritual sensitivity that came with it, but ultimately it was for the best. All this was, of course, made worse by the fact he had removed most of the formations around his house in preparation for leaving at dawn. The energy that flowed through his home pried open his senses, laying his soul bare for the entire world to see – a necessary thing, for the tribulation to come.

She led the way, spirits of all kinds stirring as she brought Fang Xu deeper into the forest, the tall, dark trees hiding innumerable souls. Most shied away from her light, but a few danced closer – a single glance sent them scurrying away, for their own safety. The die had been cast, and the future hinged upon this one moment. She would not fail her duty. But she had to prioritize Fang Xu's safety until the tribulation began.

His silence was telling. The closer she brought him to the top of the nearby hill, the further his mind drifted, spiritual energy and karma dancing together, his qi raging as it begged to be unchained, released so it could rise up to the heights it needed to be. She kept it suppressed, a weight pressing down upon Fang Xu's shoulders like a dam holding back the tide. Once it was released, it would surge forth greater than ever; but not yet.

He still had one last trial to overcome. They both did.

"I will be with you, but this is a path you must walk yourself." Fu Hao said, emerging from the trees to stand atop the hill. Before them lay the vastness of the forest, both in the Physical Realm and Spiritual. The sky was crisp and clear in the Physical realm, dark from the Realm Sun setting upon this half of creation, yet still light enough one could almost make out the leaves of the Life-Giving Tree overhead, hanging in the sky like celestial objects. In the spirit realm, however, storm clouds were brewing.

"The Dao can only be lived," Fang Xu breathed, stalking about the hilltop. Four rocks had been set here ten years ago by the man himself, as this had been, at one point, his favorite meditation spot. He adjusted each one briefly and the formation he had set activated, qi humming as it was calmed and cooled, no longer running so hot beneath the land itself, while spiritual energy, the stuff of the spirit realm, ignited in passion, connecting him to the greater world.

Fu Hao levitated skyward, gaze fixated upon the horizon. Darkness gazed back at her, and Fang Xu's soul ignited. Spiritual light spilled forth from him in uncontrolled waves before he had even settled cross-legged on the ground.

"And what," Dei's gruff voice called from behind. Fu Hao did not look away from the storm, having known he had been following since Fang Xu first woke up. "Are you doing way out here, this late at night?" Suspicion swirled in the man's chest, and Fu Hao rolled her eyes. Now he starts listening to spiritual guidance, and what does he listen to? The dark spirits that have been circling him whenever she or her brother Stilicho aren't checking in.

"Dei, calm." Came Celene's melodic voice. Much of the ice that had clouded her soul had cracked away now, revealing the purest of frozen crystals lying beneath – yet Fang Xu continued to be wary of her, uncertain as he was by how fast and hard he was falling for the woman. It was fated to be so, though, as the red string dictated. He had no reason to fear. "Fang Xu has his reasons."

Fu Hao raised one hand as the storm clouds surged, revealing itself to be a mass of dark spirits intent on swarming the area with sheer numbers. Among them she could sense the presence of a few dark spirit kings – those spirits who had yet to ascend to a higher level, like an angel or god – as well as something…else. Darker. More sinister.

"What is the purpose of this formation? The spirit beasts are acting up," Dei snapped, staring out over the forest. This caught Fu Hao off guard, and she looked down at the forest to find that, indeed, the spirit beasts were starting to become more agitated. Was this their plan? Attack Fang Xu with spirits and a spirit beast horde? No...Fu Hao's eyes narrowed as she looked toward the horizon, sensing something off. There was something else moving out there...her eyes widened the moment she spotted them, though there was little she could do at the moment. Fae, with intentions as dark as their thoughts, moved about in the distance, setting up a formation. Foul energy surged as four pillars were erected in each of the cardinal directions, directing the energy of the leyline they sat upon and filling it with hateful thoughts, driving the beasts to madness.

Fu Hao cursed, but there was little she could do to stop it - ease its power, perhaps, but not stop it - but even she could feel the effects of this devilish formation, driving anger into her. What would the effects be like for a mortal, if someone like her were effected?

"Look North, Fang Xu. Enemies surround us," she said, steeling her nerves and attempting to cast off the madness that tried to blind her, turning her attention back to the approaching mass of spirits, hurtling towards them like a tidal wave.

"This formation will protect me during my ascension. My spirit must leave my body to complete it; it was designed to keep things away, not agitate them." Fang Xu said, brows furrowed as he plucked the string of his bow, looking about nervously. "Someone else is agitating the beasts. I...don't know who, or why, but I think they're setting up a formation around me."

Power surged through Fu Hao as she slammed her fists together, forced to focus her attention on her aggressors. A golden aegis sprang to life before her, spreading out to encompass the entirety of the hilltop. Dark energy hissed and steamed as it came into contact with her holy power, the dark spirits crashing against her shield like waves upon a cliff.

"If this is all you can muster, it is woefully inadequate," she declared as the dark spirits sought to shatter the protective field, yet found themselves wanting. They hissed and screeched, a spirit king striking the shield with all its might only to be sent reeling away by the pure, positive energy that comprised it. And she spared a glance at those beneath her.

Dei flinched at the sudden burst of her power, somehow sensing a disturbance, while Celene remained calm, nearly blind to the spirit realm as she was. Only Fang Xu looked up at her, eyes glowing with light, the moment fast approaching. Slowly he sat down, crossing his legs and breathing even, body swaying slightly. Celene stood beside him, intention clear. Dei whipped his head back and forth between the two, his brows furrowed and thoughts muddled. Even in the protection of her shield, she could see the darkness of the enemy formation trying to seep into him and Celene, the latter of whom was firm in her standing, while Dei cocked his head, his emotions inflaming, memories of the last spirit beast horde surfacing.

"Good thing it is not all we can muster," a new voice said from far too close, and Fu Hao whirled. Two beings of nearly equal power to her floated just inside the golden shield, features largely obscured by the evil that clouded them. Their auras were dark and sinister, plasmatic much like her own, giving the spiritual beings the illusion of wings. Their mere presence was anathema to her very being. But just as they were hers, she was theirs, smoke curling from their forms as their close proximity to her harmed them.

She scowled at them. They made no effort to hide the nature of their beings. They were beings of chaos and hatred and evil, standing against the very balance Statera Luotian represented - some chaos was to be expected, but there were limits. Dark angels. The Enemy had created dark angels.

"Look below you, little angel." One of them hissed. "See what changes we have wrought."

Fu Hao glanced down, frowning as a third dark angel that emerged from the ground, just behind Dei. The man was arguing with Fang Xu and Celene now, emotions impassioned by the presence of evil and her own power – he hated the presence of anything bigger than him, more for his own weakness than any rejection of the truly powerful.

Fang Xu's eyes widened as he observed the dark angel attempting to enter Dei's heart, to taint him and steer his spear.

"Dei, no!" he shouted, and the man scowled at him as he looked up at Fu Hao, wordlessly begging for her to aid Dei against the dark angel. She just raised an eyebrow at him, and turned her attention back to the other angels. What in Keilan's name did these fools think they were doing? That wasn't even how manipulation worked. They were too heavy handed.

"Dei will be a great instrument, as he already rejects the divine." The dark angel whispered, cackling to itself. "After he -"

"FUCK OFF!" Dei boomed, whirling upon the dark angel, his aura flaring and Dao solidifying. He could not truly see the spiritual being, but he could sense it. And pure, raw anger filtered off of him in waves as he glared at where the dark angel had been tossed, rejected wholly by his entire being, passion enflamed by the enemy's formation and directed at its creators..

"What?!" the dark angel bellowed, shocked. Fu Hao scoffed.

"Arrogance. You do not understand what kind of man that is. He resists all guidance, even the spiritual hand of Statera Luotian, seeking only the guidance of his own soul and Dao. How foolish are you to think you could manipulate a man like that? You truly do not know how high the heavens are." Fu Hao said with a shake of her head. Not like she could really talk, having been rebuked by Dei multiple times in the past. But that is beside the point, and she fixed her steely gaze upon the dark angels once more, cracking her knuckles. "Now that you know such, allow me to educate you on who I am."

With a furious cry she launched herself forward, striking with all the power and might she had using naught but her bare fists. Angel clashed with angel, the two before her matching her ferocity with their own desperate struggle. Teeth bared they raged against her, blocking strikes and returning them with blasts of unholy power. Her aura flared as she ducked and weaved, spinning between the duo and unleashing an unrestrained blast of spiritual energy. They went spinning away and she snapped her head around, searching for the third, only to find it too late.

Celene stood beside Fang Xu, fending off spirit beasts as they surged through the forest toward him, driven mad by dark spirits and completely bypassing Fu Hao's spiritual barrier. The man himself was sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, his spirit having completely left his body to complete his Ascension. Where it walked Fu Hao did not know, but she did know that his body had to be protected, lest spirits attempt to inhabit it. Meanwhile Dei struggled against the third dark angel, unable to see it as he was, as it worked to undo her shield, cracks already forming in the golden dome.

"No!" She shouted, hurtling at the dark angel – but her distraction cost her, and a blow to the back sent her crashing into the wall of her own shield, the two she had been fighting converging upon her once more. Panic swelled within her at her own mistake, her shield cracking and crumbling as she watched, the dark angels laughing at her. Spirits from outside battered against the wall, the enemy worked from within…it was too much, and the golden shield shattered.

Dark spirits surged forward, clawing at Fu Hao and hurtling to Fang Xu's body in a desperate race – only to be momentarily rebuked by the formation he had set up. It would not last, she knew, even as she was drug down to the earth by the weight of the spirits assaulting her. Her aura surged, limbs flashing out to knock them away, but there was strength in numbers. If any of the spirits reached Fang Xu, they could inhabit his body while his spirit underwent the tribulation. That could not happen.

"Your gods have abandoned you, little angel!" the dark angels laughed, igniting a surge of anger within her. "You stand alone!"

"Alone?" She whispered, drawing upon every ounce of her power. The heavenly Dao responded to the weight of her will, strength she did not know she had touching her limbs. As she watched two of the angels rushed forward, Dei leaping toward one of them with spear at the ready – the metal passed through the being, though his soul's power coated the weapon, piercing the being in a vicious display. It howled and backhanded him, rattling his unguarded soul and making him spit blood – but there was still one more.

Fu Hao burst forward, light trailing from her as she flew faster than she ever had, tackling the angel away from Fang Xu's barrier. Ice rushed past her, freezing a spirit beast as Celene continued to guard Fang Xu's body, the woman herself calling for aid.

"Alone?! I am Fu Hao, angel of Statera Luotian!" she bellowed, fist finding the dark angel's face. It was sent flying and she whirled, slapping a palm strike into the closest spirit hard enough it sent a shockwave of divine energy radiating through the skies. Her feet found purchase upon the ground as she stood before Fang Xu's barrier, blood dribbling from one corner of her mouth. "The will of the heavens is my will! The gods need not be here for I am! Because I am here, the gods are as well!" Each word, each statement was punctuated with another strike, another blow, another burst of power that sent spirits and angels alike flying.

Each statement was backed by weight unknown. Such was the nature of a battle between spirits – it was as much a battle of wills, as it was power. They would find their will lacking compared to hers, for she carried within her a spark of the divine soul. Her purpose was great, her will greater, and though she was vastly outnumbered she would not give an inch.

"Let it be known! You know not the height of the heavens! And you will not pass!" She roared.

And it came to be so.

For three hours, she battled dark spirits and three dark angels, keeping them at bay. For three hours, Celene and Dei raged against the spirit beast horde swarming the hill, devilish cultivators maintaining the formation that enflamed them, seeking to kill them and the village – only once were they reinforced, by Dei's own people. For three hours, the Shadow attempted to snuff out a light, while the gods watched on with bated breaths.

And only once the sun cracked over the horizon did Fang Xu open his eyes, and the world came to know the first Immortal Mortal. And with him came the light of the heavenly Dao.

Chapter 1.25 The Karmic Immortal

Fang Xu met god.

He wasn't sure how he knew it, but know it he did. Perhaps that was the point of the ascension trial. Each step across the golden bridge that formed before his soul when the trial began – the waters of the karmic ocean lapping against the gilded posts holding it up – brought him closer and closer to that divine soul, the creator and parent of all.

Each section of the bridge, of which there were seven, presented with it a new challenge. Yet chains held him back.

First they were red and hateful, filling him with righteous indignation. Had he not already done everything asked of him? Had he not done his time? But he walked through it, the anger fueling him. Next came depression, sinister chains that curled around him and weighed him down, seeking to drag him to the ocean below with gentle whispers. Why keep going, if the future would be more of the same? He had done nothing but suffer, both physically and spiritually. What was it worth? What was he worth? Each step became leaden and despondent, but still he walked. Then the chains fell away, only to be replaced by an all-consuming apathy attempting to eat at his core.

Though his movements became stiff and mechanical, still he walked.

Finally he reached the halfway point, and was immediately swarmed with emotion. Desire and want and worry and fear and even happiness latched onto him as little green chains, pulling him every which way, tugging on his heartstrings. It took time to fight through this, to silence the chattering of his heart. Sometimes he had to take a step back, or move sideways, navigating through the invisible maze that led to his deepest desire – and, in the end, the myriad chains were cast off, a singular wordless purpose in his soul and a little red chain leading him on. He neared the end now, and joy swelled within him, stalling his feet for the first time with their gilded shackles.

He looked out over the karmic ocean, sunlight glittering off the waves, and felt satisfied and joyous. From here it felt like he could see all of creation, as if he could glimpse the whole of eternity…

It was his heart, so misguided before, that urged him on because this was not it. This was not the end he sought. He found his feet once more, but kept that appreciation and joy in his being. Learning to walk with it felt like placing a boulder upon his back, much as depression but in a different way, but each step made it lighter and lighter. This was the sixth – to learn to walk, with joy in your heart and all the rest of your emotions still within you. And finally, he reached the final section.

This was the most difficult for him, for it was love.

And love was painful.

There were no chains that leapt up to bind him as he crossed the final section. He was free to run, the longer he stayed the more it hurt to be there. Love filled his being, urging him to run ahead, rush to the finish, it was right there! His mind agreed, knowing the pain to come; it was his heart, clutching that little red string that stretched from his chest and into the distance, that kept him from running. You can't rush it. It told him. Or it will not be what you need, or what you want. He listened, and it killed him. Each moment that passed upon the bridge, walking as slowly as he could, presented with it a new pain.

He saw loved ones, from this life and lives past, destroying themselves both physically and spiritually. He once again experienced the pain of knowing what they were doing to themselves, but unable to help for they wouldn't listen. He felt the greatest of heartbreaks, his heart shattering as he heard the scream of his other half – not in pain, but in heartbreak upon his death, and allowing her soul to become encased in ice. All of this and more, he felt.

Yet he would never have surrendered the ability to feel love to not feel the pain. The pain was part of love, and it was worth it. And it killed him. Inch by inch parts of him died, stripped away until only an inch remained. One inch, a single bit of himself that crossed the threshold, and was born anew.

Light spilled from him in waves as his soul expanded, energy rushing in to rebuild his soul – scrubbed clean and fresh, pure as freshly fallen snow and rays of golden sunlight. The power at his fingertips was immense, the waves of the karmic ocean lapping at his feet as he stood atop the waters, and he marveled in the sensations.

"You did well," a voice said, and he turned to greet the newcomer. He was a dark man, with large, leathery wings and a thick, muscular tail. Fine black robes embroidered in gold draped over his form, and he watched Fang Xu with eyes that were neither judgmental nor calculating, but still saw him for what he was. He knew who this was, for there was a power radiating from him that was…indescribable.

It felt like an ocean on a windless day. Calm on the surface, but raging power beneath.

"Keilan, the Righteous Judge," Fang Xu said, bowing his head. He had not expected to meet the ruler of the Karmic Realm, but…a part of him was disappointed to not meet the other. But such was a foolish notion. Even now he could feel it, that otherworldly presence, the divine soul – its gaze was upon him, shining down like a warm smile, filling him completely yet never overtaking his being.

"Righteous Judge? Odd title. Not sure I like it." Keilan mused, stepping forward. In his hand he held a book, glowing with all the colors of the rainbow. "There is one final thing needed to complete your transformation. One last thing to fill in the circle. I doubt I will be able to greet all who choose your path in the future, but as you are the first…well. I can make an exception. Here." He said, presenting the book to Fang Xu. He hesitated in taking it.

"My lord…" he started.

"Do not fear it. And do not be disappointed by Mother's apparent absence; you will know why the moment you take this." Keilan mused, pressing the book into Fang Xu's hands. It instantly melded into his very being, a wave of information surging into his brain. He felt the warmth of Mother Statera's love as She encouraged him, the strength of Father Luotian's pride as He urged him forward, he remembered Their smiles, overlapping as if they were one and the same being, and Their face as They created him…and one other. The other first.

And more. Fang Xu remembered, and the red string his heart still clutched bid him return to her. 

"Go now. Return to your loved one," Keilan said with a smile, touching him on the forehead. The world swirled in his gaze, and Fang Xu awoke.

A buddha. I should have guessed. The path of karmic ascension turned Fang Xu into something akin to a buddha – not in the common stereotype of the term, but someone who reached enlightenment on their own, not following someone else's teachings. Besides my own. But, even with his newfound power, the battle was not yet over. Still, the impact of his awakening should not be understated.

It was a galvanizing moment, when Fang Xu awoke, though no one noticed at first. Dei knelt to his left, blood dribbling from his mouth as he wrestled with spirit and beast alike, while Celene stood before him, a dome of transparent ice surrounding his body. The bodies of dozens of slain spirit beasts lay scattered around the hilltop – and though I wept for their passing, for the wanton slaughter that had happened tonight between all my children, I still saw it for what it was. Protection. And the beasts could not be blamed, either, for they had been manipulated. Yet I saw that the worst trial was yet to come, even for Fu Hao, my loyal angel, standing guard in the skies.

Her plasmatic aura wavered weakly, eight spirit kings and three dark angels floating before her warily. Blood dripped from a dozen wounds, her golden skin stained with bruises and various other injuries. Yet stand she still did. Not once did she give an inch, lest they take a mile. Pride swelled within me for her actions – it had been her choice to be so fierce and protective.

There were no more words exchanged between the parties. The spirits surged forward, intent on breaking Fu Hao this time as they knew their window of opportunity to take over Fang Xu's body was closing, and she readied herself. The spirit beasts on the ground surged forward as well, instinctually following the will of the darkness that guided them, the defenders readying themselves for a final assault.

Fang Xu stood in one smooth motion, breaking through the ice dome and qi cultivation surging upward, breaking through multiple realms in a single second as he smoothly drew his bow. The formations he had carved into the wood flared to life, an arrow of pure golden light, drawn from his soul, appearing upon the string. The light of the sun seemed dim in comparison, runes etching themselves into the ground around him in an intricate formation, and all beings froze at the sight.

Then the arrow was loosed, and it struck a dark angel like a thunderbolt from the blue sky. Golden chains leapt from where the arrow struck the angel, wrapping around it and encasing it in a golden cage of pure spiritual energy – each chain comprised of a dozen formations, each designed to suppress and contain. Fang Xu smiled as the spirits screeched in surprise, Fu Hao shouting out in triumph as she willingly threw herself into the oncoming horde, now unchained by Fang Xu's meditations.

"Sorry it took so long," Fang Xu said, smiling at Celene, who stared at him in shock. Such was his spiritual presence that his karmic aura overflowed into the Physical Realm, appearing as an aura of golden light radiating from him. The formation beneath his feet finished and two more arms sprouted from his back, spiritual in nature and made of golden light, gripping an equally golden bow. "But I remember now. I remember you. Hello, Celene. I love you."

Celene's face lit up at once, hopeful and pleased, almost ready to jump into his arms. The roar of a spirit beast drug her attention back to the fight and she resisted the urge, swords of ice sprouting everywhere as she stepped forth, ready to defend once again.

"Hurry up and get to shooting, or there won't be any left for you when I'm done," Dei snapped, rising to a standing position and readying his spear, blood still dripping from numerous wounds. Three Greater Spirit Beasts – not quite sapient, as they were harder to manipulate, yet no less powerful for it – circled the group, unwilling to jump in unless they saw a clear avenue of attack.

Fang Xu snorted and levitated off the ground, four arms drawing and firing in conjunction. His physical bow was a marvel, each arrow striking true; the first four shots landed upon the enemy formation markers, miles away, disrupting their dark design. The gathered cultivators, many of whom were merely opportunists, trying to thwart a rival as opposed to true devil cultivators, scattered, scrambling away as the arrows exploded, rendering their work moot. Even the shots he "missed" had a purpose, each arrow acting as a marker for a formation – he sought to end the fight by trapping all the hostile beasts within a defensive formation of his own design. As for his spiritual bow, it struck proud and true. Spirits fled the golden bolts, leaving streaks of light in the air as they passed, dark angels forced to dodge lest they, too, become sealed. Fu Hao fought like a mad beast, harassing all the spirit kings and dark angels with a ferocity very much unlike the normally composed angel. But her work was necessary – she was protecting Fang Xu, distracting their enemies from the formation he was building.

There was only so much one angel could do, and she was doing the absolute maximum.

For the moment, it seemed the tide had turned, though I wished for it to end soon. It brought me neither joy nor satisfaction to see my children kill each other, even if Fang Xu and Dei's company fought in self-defense; even if Fu Hao fought to protect and guard. But those present constantly rebuffed my hand, willing, as it always was, to aid in the only way I could. Fu Hao was lost in her emotions, allowing my influence through but not in any way that would immediately end the conflict. And disaster was fast approaching.

Fang Xu had galvanized the defenders with his aura, his very presence healing wounds and bolstering the qi of his allies, helping to banish the rapidly fading, maddening effects of the devilish formation. But they were overextending. Celene was lost in her joy – her fated one had finally returned, she wasn't crazy, it had been real! – her icy heart still warding me off, tentatively happy though it was. And she had pushed too far into the beast horde, confident in her own power.

Even Fang Xu resisted my hand reaching through the Dao, grim and determined, rebuffing me for the same reason Elvira had – it was to prevent me from dealing with a fight between my children, to see it through himself. He had a sword in his heart and memories to deal with; Keilan's gift, ironically, new as it was, was preventing him from fully accepting my Hand. His painful death, and the sound of Celene's screams of pain and grief, still rung in his ears and mind.

Only Dei seemed receptive, but just barely. He heard the warning I tried to give him, a feeling of danger touching his mind, and took a few steps back from the advancing horde to glance around. Three dark Spirit Kings fell, bound by Fang Xu's arrows, and while he could sense them he could not see them. That was not the danger. The danger came from…

His eyes latched onto Celene, too deep in the spirit beast horde, and the three leaders of said horde slowly closing in on her. His own people were too scattered to help, she too far to hear…

"Celene!" he bellowed, leaping forward spear at the ready. Only Fang Xu heard, his eyes snapping to Dei, then his fated lover. The greater beasts were closing in; Dei dodged around the lesser beasts, leaping into the air to tackle one, a four-armed gorilla, with his spear. But there were still two more. Fang Xu saw the danger, and once more I tried to reach to him. But fear clouded his heart as he saw the same situation that had killed him in his past life, not fear for himself, but fear for Celene, and I was rebuffed.

His arrows thundered, striking true, even as he flew as fast as he could to her side.

The frigid woman turned and met the outstretched talons of one of the greater beasts with a sword of ice.

The great hawk was repelled with a tremendous screech, an arrow striking it in the side but not killing it as it flapped back upwards, fear throwing off Fang Xu's aim.

The third charged, a boar with tusks the size of trees and flames spewing from its nostrils, and Celene turned.

An arrow pierced its side, but its armor was too thick. Ice tried to coat its legs, but its charge was too great. And Fang Xu once again threw himself in the beast's path to save his lover.

He tackled her aside, the boar's tusk spearing his gut and tearing a hole in him that would have instantly killed a lesser man. Flame seared his flesh, and Celene scrambled out from under him, eyes wide and panicked. The dark angels screeched in triumph, Fu Hao roaring in rage and desperation as she tried to get to Fang Xu; but she was waylaid by the very forces she sought to keep back.

"No, no, no, not again. I just found you," Celene breathed, staring into Fang Xu's eyes. The man smiled up at her, not dead yet, but grievously injured. In the middle of battle, surrounded by enemies, it was a death sentence. And he would not reenter the reincarnation cycle if his body died here; no, he would ascend to another role, another realm of existence. Celene would have to meet him there.

"It's ok," Fang Xu whispered, putting a hand on her face, bloody though it was, his golden aura dimming. Powerful though he was, his qi cultivation had yet to catch up. A wound like this was slow to heal, and almost fatal. "It's ok. I go now to the Mother's embrace. I'll always be with you."

Celene sobbed as the flame boar turned once again, ready to charge, the hawk descending from above with talons outstretched.

"I'll come with you." She cried. "I won't be separated from you again," Fang Xu's expression twisted, tears beading the corners of his eyes. He knew better. She would have to be reincarnated again, and perhaps again before she reached his level and they could be together. It was enough time that there was no guarantee the red string would hold.

Salvation came from neither of them. It came not from the angel, nor from the lover, nor from the newly-created buddha. It came from the man who watched, who understood his own powerlessness. The one who rebuffed all guidance and aid to walk his own path, who doubted all.

Dei's wish, his prayer, was selfless and quick.

"Please," he said, seeing Celene's face filled with grief and hearing Fang Xu's words, his admission that he was Celene's long-lost lover. "Don't let them be separated again." And he surrendered himself fully to the Dao, as one might surrender themselves to a river.

My power flowed through him gently but instantly, spreading out to encompass all in a blinding wave. My divine love filled the battlefield, spirit beasts stopping in their tracks and lying down, men laying down their weapons, spirits losing all the rage and pain they felt alongside their connection to the Dark. Even as far away as the village, suffering from the horde all the same, the conflict ended, the hidden devil cultivators fleeing or falling to the same fate as all the others - setting down their weapons, the sword in their hearts gently taken from them as they ambled away from it all.

Fu Hao stood in the midst of it all, basking in my light and watching with a proud smile as an invisible ray extended from Dei's chest, touching Fang Xu, his lifeforce stabilizing, the pain easing even as he lapsed into unconsciousness. The dark angels around her tried to flee, but they found their movements sluggish and tired, as if all that had fueled their actions was not but dust in the wind.

Fu Hao beamed up at the heavens, at me, disappointed in herself but proud of those she guided.

"The seeds bloom this day," she breathed. "And the trees will grow."

I am proud of you. I told her. Be proud of yourself, who I am proud of. And so it was.

Alexander rumbled in content. "Once again we are reminded that Father will never truly leave us." He said to the spirits still assembling around him. None had seen the great battle that had just commenced, for they did not have his sight, but the words still pounded through them.

He watched as the battle wrapped up, spirit beasts wandering back into the forest while cultivators crowded together around Dei, Celene, and Fang Xu, the former of which was still in shock by what had just happened, and began licking their wounds. Many still basked in the lingering touch of Father's presence, the feeling of the divine soul leaving a lasting impression upon many of them. The angel Fu Hao suppressed the remaining dark angels – only one managing to flee back to its master – and dark spirit kings. Rain fell from the skies, washing away the blood, while the souls of the fallen were gently swept into my river to be returned to the cycle of reincarnation.

Love. Profound, boundless love touched each and every one of them, many dark spirits choosing to repent then and there; Father's touch gently guiding them into the spirit river to return to Keilan, to be born anew. Even the foul cultivators, who bloomed demons in their hearts, found themselves questioning their motives as they slunk away from the battlefield.

"That's cheating." The Shadow complained, and Alexander smiled to himself.

"There you are," he said, watching as the last remaining dark angel fled into the distance, vanishing with a ripple, revealing where the Shadow was. For the first time he met the Shadow's eyes, all eight of them, gleaming with hatred and rage, as they widened in shock. Alexander rose to his full height and bared his fangs. "Found you."

The Shadow cursed loudly. "Cheating!" it accused the heavens, pulling itself back into its little hole and closing the door. Alexander did not have a way to open it, but now he knew where they hid. And that meant countermeasures could be made.

"Be ready," he promised. "For my siblings and I will be ready for you."

Chapter 1.26 Report

I meditated for over a thousand years. One thousand and fifty seven, to be exact, and the moment I returned to full awareness the Shadow's forces fled. A haunting, echoing call rang out through the Four Realms, and the dark angels and dark spirits that had been harassing the Realms dropped whatever they were doing and fled. Not all of them escaped into the rifts in space the Shadow created, quite a few were caught by various other beings and spirits. Most caught were sealed away, cultivators and spiritual beings alike using talismans or other such things to keep them restrained – a relatively new creation, I noted, that certainly hadn't existed before the Shadow began to move.

Not that this was even close to the full conflict. It was mostly minor skirmishes that had occurred; none of the gods or other greater spiritual beings had gotten involved in the battles – only angels and the like, and even those battles were rare. Though, to my slight disappointment, few beings had risen to the status of angel or, in the case of mortals, karmic immortals while I was sleeping.

Fu Hao and Stilicho had managed to raise three other spirits up to the status of angels, making five, while the number of karmic immortals only reached two. Fang Xu, and a woman on the opposite side of Pangaea. Speaking of Fang Xu, the work he had done with Dei was quite exciting and about as fantastical as I could think of, so I was very excited to check out what they had done personally. First, however, I needed to check up on my kids, see what they had learned.

My eyes opened, and I was treated to a sight that I, while I had been expecting it, still found highly amusing. Kei was held by the scruff of the neck by Randus, a lump of coal in hand and a sheepish look on the nine-tailed fox's face. She had grown quite a bit in the past millennium, now looking to be a girl in her late teens. That just made the picture of Randus holding Kei up like a misbehaving puppy, her black hair in disarray and orange tails drooping sadly, quite comical.

Which, now that I thought about it, wasn't too inaccurate of a comparison.

"What do you say?" Randus chided, giving her a little shake. Kei pouted at him and shrugged, tails flaring out behind her.

"Sorry for trying to draw on your face while you were asleep, Grandpa," Kei said, sounding not at all sorry. Randus glared at her, twirling his moustache with his free hand, and she pouted harder. I resisted the urge to laugh. "And for trying to paint the walls of your house. Pink. And with glitter."

Randus nodded as if satisfied and let the girl go, dropping to her feet and straightening her robes, then promptly made a little bow in my direction. "My apologies, Ma'am. She has been trying to get to you for the past century, and despite the little game you are playing I thought it prudent to not allow her to just do as she pleases." I nodded sagely.

"A wise choice, Randus. If she can't even get past you, what hope does she have of getting to me?" I mused, scratching my chin. It wasn't like she would have even been able to enter my meditation chambers either way; they were locked down tight while I meditated, and I wasn't as unaware as she assumed, either. It was still a fun little challenge for her though. Kei's mouth dropped open in mock outrage.

"Cheater!" she whined, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You're not allowed to let Randus in on our game!"

"What makes you think I wouldn't cheat?" I asked, cocking my head to the side in confusion. She gaped at me and I laughed. "Cheating is the name of the game, sweetheart! Now, as much as I want to catch up, I do have some things to take care of now that I'm awake. Care to show me the way to Elvira's palace?"

Kei huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, tails puffing up in agitation. Randus watching in amusement as she shook her head, pouting even harder than she had before.

"No. I'm going to go play in the Physical Realm." She said. I frowned at her.

"Be careful, Kei. Just because I'm awake doesn't mean the Shadow has stopped what it's doing." I warned, and she gave me an odd look.

"Haven't you been watching?" she asked. "Playing tag with dark angels is a favorite pastime of mine. Now I'm going to go play in the physical realm. Go be lame by yourself!" And with that she poked her tongue out at me and promptly teleported away.

"She is notoriously difficult to catch." Randus said, but a quick glance from me told him all he needed to know about what I thought of that. He bowed slightly. "I will ensure her safety, do not worry." And he, too, vanished, turning around and stepped into the land of dreams, leaving me alone in my meditation chambers once more. I sat there for a moment longer, staring at the grey-stone walls. The stone slab beneath me was changing; lines of blue and white crystal marred the once-pristine surface, the raw power I exuded warping the dense stone into something else entirely.

Even now I could feel energy leaking from me, the power I was storing for the creation of the Lunar Star not completely contained any more. I kept it suppressed in a little core next to my heart as best I could, constantly feeding a little bit of the power I naturally generated into it. With a groan I stood, feeling stiff and sore all over from keeping that power contained – the time would come, perhaps in the next few thousand years, where my true body would be unlikely to leave my meditation chambers for all the power I had built up.

But not yet. I had to give my kids the tools to succeed against the Shadow first.

I took a single step forward and the world shifted, distance meaningless as I appeared over the domed roof of Keilan's Karmic Palace. The black-and-gold building stood proudly at the end of the karmic valley, lines of souls shuffling in through the large main doors and flying out through the rear, heading to their new lives scrubbed clean of their memories. Multiple karmic beings of great power resided within this building, and the moment he sensed me, Keilan came shooting out of the window of his office, wings flapping.

"Mother," he greeted with a warm smile. "Congratulations on your enlightenment. I sense you have grown in many ways."

"I have." I agreed, not saying exactly how I had grown. My divine domain had expanded slightly, my own understanding of balance and what it meant to be the Origin Deity of a universe deepening significantly. "I am more impressed with your own growth. Is that…fate, I sense?" I asked, peering at my son's soul. His divine domain, which used to be solely the powers of karma and yin, had taken on a new tint. It wasn't enough to call it a new addition to his domain, but rather tying something else onto it. Fate and karma were very closely intertwined, so it wasn't that much of a stretch.

"As usual, it seems I cannot hide anything from you. Yes. Your angel, Stilicho, helped me quite a bit in that regard. Speaking of, there is someone I wish for you to meet," Keilan pulsed his aura once and a figure came shooting out of the palace, the aura of an angel flaring brightly as it came to stand beside Keilan.

She did not have the shape of a human, as the angels I had created did. The six-foot long snake bowed at me, tongue flicking out and wings of light folding in around its scaly form – I recognized it. Wasn't this the soul of the snake spirit beast that had been with me last time I met Dei? Interesting. So not all mortal souls turned into buddhas, then? I knew spirit beasts were different, their souls were different than both that of spirits and the Fae, after all, so what would this make them?

"This one's name is Manasa," the snake greeted, voice melodic and peaceful as she curled upon herself, keeping her head low in a formal bow.

"She is my first angel," Keilan said proudly, puffing up his chest. "She pledged herself to the Karmic Palace, and has been a great help in organizing the lines of souls. Quite a few more are on the cusp of this evolution; I even have a few Karae I expect to become Karmic Immortals soon." I blinked at him, then focused closer upon the being, realization dawning in my mind. As she was the same kind of being as a buddha or angel I could still sense her connection to me, however, it was dulled. And I had unconsciously categorized her as an angel despite being…different.

"I see," I mused, circling around the being. "You are still karmically and spiritually ascended, but pledged your allegiance to Keilan. Unlike Fu Hao and Stilicho, who are bound to me." I said, nodding appreciatively. Did that mean that all the gods could have their own angels or other such powerful spiritual beings? Fang Xu was loosely tied to me with his ascension, but none of the others were tied to myself as Fu Hao and Stilicho were.

Ding!

Ascension!

Multiple beings in the Four Realms have ascended into a higher plain of existence, following the paths of Karma and Spirituality; this is a common method of ascension among all the universes. This is one of the first steps on the road to what is commonly known as godhood, though few will ever complete the journey.

Congratulations!

Types of Ascended Beings:

1. Angels; spirits given great power through allying themselves with a divine entity and empowering themselves through karma. This can be done in a positive or negative manner, though the negative typically can be referred to as demons, or dark angels.

2. Karmic Immortals; these are mortal souls who have achieved enlightenment, thus ascending to a plain of greater spiritual understanding. Their physical and spiritual bodies become one, capable of existing within both the physical and spiritual realms. They are also known as Buddhas, Arhats, certain kinds of Saints…there are many titles, but for the Four Realms, karmic immortals fits best.

3. Holy Beasts; animal or plant souls and spirits that have achieved the same immortality through enlightenment and karma as mortal souls. As the nature of their existence is different, however, they ascend into a technically different being.

Numbers:

Angels: 4

Karmic Immortals/Buddhas: 2

Holy Beasts: 1

You know, I kind of prefer buddhas over karmic immortals, but it's not like I can change it now. People will call it what they will. Wait – now's not the time for this, Boxes! Shut up!

"You should go see what Elvira has been doing," Keilan said, smiling and thankfully not noticing my momentary distraction. "Since you are awake I will come with you; I am sure you want to be filled in on many things."

"I do," I agreed. "Manasa, it was good to meet you."

"You as well, Lady Statera. May the Realms always favor you," Manasa said just before Keilan and I teleported away, this time appearing above Elvira's palace. Immediately beings began clamoring, looking up and shouting, pointing at me while I frowned. Dozens of spirit kings close to ascending manned the palace halls, the other two angels who were not aligned with myself hovering near Elvira, who was in the very center of the palace. Other gods waved at me, some shielding their eyes as they looked up.

"How is everyone noticing me right away?" I asked rhetorically.

"It is hard not to," Keilan admitted, adjusting his robes as he floated down to the palace below. "Your aura is quite strong, and far more pronounced than before." I huffed and suppressed my power further, the discomfort it caused increasing as I, too, descended into the palace, phasing through the domed roof.

White marble and gold fixtures greeted me, the same beautiful mosaic floor as ever staring up at me from below. Elvira stood before her throne, looking up at me with a beaming smile, while other gods huddled together, watching me from afar. I nodded to each of them, smiling warmly, as I descended to give my daughter a hug. She wrapped her arms and wings around me in return before pulling away and looking me up and down.

"Don't you say I changed too," I complained. "I came here to talk, we can discuss other such things later. Please. While my thoughts are still fresh."

"As you wish." Elvira said. "Keilan, go tell Alexander and Reika Father is awake, please?"

"What am I, your manservant? Get Gilles or Sol to do it, they're always tripping over themselves to serve you," Keilan complained, rolling his eyes even as he turned and teleported away in a flash of black. I patted Elvira's shoulder and observed the changes to her palace.

It was clear she was gearing up for war. A training grounds had been constructed, and the two angels I had sensed, both of whom were aligned with Elvira herself, were instructing other spirits in a very…martial manner, distracted though they were by my presence. The gods themselves had a tenseness about them, and Elvira had a dusting of scars along her knuckles that came from training her body. The building itself had changed, as well, with the appearance of the thrones.

I'd seen them before, but this would be the first time I really looked at them. Specifically the throne that was intended for me, raised up behind the four chairs for my first children, and made of a swirling marble of black, white, and a dozen other colors. For a long moment I stared at it, then turned away, pretending not to notice the quiet sigh of relief that came from my daughter. I wasn't really the ruler of the Realms at the moment, more of a guiding hand. Now wasn't the time to be the ruler, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit I hoped that day never came. I much preferred being the parent of these foolish children.

A single parent, doing all the work of a god. 

That thought lingered until the other two arrived, Reika and Alexander appearing alongside Keilan. We exchanged pleasantries for a brief moment; then I changed the mood entirely by firming my expression, folding my hands into the sleeves of my robes, and pressing for a report.

"Tell me everything you've learned." I said, wanting to cross-reference it with what I was able to glean during my meditations. The visions I'd had…

Elvira and Keilan both straightened their backs, squaring their shoulders as they looked in my eyes.

"We think the Shadow is hiding in some kind of sub-space, separated from the Four Realms. Gilles has taken to calling it a pocket dimension, or hidden realm." Elvira started. "He's better at explaining it, but we believe that it is somehow using the Void to keep itself hidden – as the Void is nothing, it is technically invisible."

"Though we are able to sense whenever the Shadow opens a gate into the Four Realms, we cannot tell when that will happen beforehand. Where, however, is another matter entirely; with the help of various elemental gods and spirit kings, I've been able to narrow down areas where the Shadow's forces emerge from. Each time a gate into these pocket dimensions opens, that area shrinks." Alexander continued with a rumble. "The more it makes its movements visible, the more we are able to track where they are coming from."

"Speaking of the Shadow's forces," Keilan continued. "The dark angels and dark spirits are annoyingly resistant to redemption. They seem to mistakenly believe that the Shadow is the scarier of the options. A few have even spouted some such nonsense as "they've come too far" or "dedicated too much" or something to the Shadow's cause – though none seem clear on what, exactly, that is."

"Mm. The sunk cost fallacy. It's an annoying thing to deal with, but not insurmountable." I noted, running a hand through my hair.

"The question has come up of what do to with them, however." Reika said with a shake of her head. "It hasn't become an issue yet – we've only sealed away a total of three dark angels, but the question remains on what to do with them, especially if they continue to refuse to seek forgiveness and redemption. On this, I do request your advice." Reika bowed formally. I nodded my assent, rubbing my chin in thought. It was a conundrum, but not as much as my children believed it to be. They just thought I was against the idea of a jail.

The issue was not with the dark angels themselves. Just like dark spirits, they were a natural part of the Four Realms – within reason. Too many, and it became a problem. However, the real issue stemmed almost entirely from the Shadow, who tainted their purpose even further – I would daresay even twisted their purpose to be my anathema. Chaos exists within the Balance that is me; what the Shadow represents is not mere chaos. It's more like…it's more…

"We'll have to seal away the dark angels, until either they choose to redeem themselves, or there comes a time a more drastic measure must be taken." I said, instead of finishing that thought. Mostly because I didn't have the word.

"What kind of drastic measure?" Reika asked, narrowing her eyes. "You don't mean…total destruction, do you?"

"What? No! Who gave you that idea?" I said, aghast. "The total destruction of a soul is one of the greatest taboos. It is one of the few things I absolutely condemn."

"It was brought up during one of our meetings." Elvira said bluntly. "And was summarily rejected. Sealing them away is our best option right now, in any case. I have cleared out a space beneath the Holy Mountain for them, and Reika intends to seal a few beneath the Life-Giving Tree as well. What did you have in mind though, Father, as a drastic measure?"

"A reset," I said bluntly. "Completely and utterly. Stripping away everything there is to a soul and letting the energy it has built up over its lifetime rejoin the rest of the Realm, while the Truesoul will be thrown back into the Realms to start over."

"How is that any different from destruction? That's destroying everything a soul is." Sol objected from behind. Elvira scowled momentarily at his interjection but quickly wiped the expression from her face, the feathers on her wings ruffling slightly. If this was supposed to be a private conversation, I would have held it privately. I thought, giving Elvira a look before turning to smile at Sol. The mighty god of the sun had bedecked himself in armor of gold, a sword hanging at his hip and a feather-adorned helmet stuffed beneath the crook of one arm. Beside him stood his brother Gilles, the shadow god looking sheepish as he laid one pale hand on his brother's arm.

"Excellent question." I said, much to Sol's surprise. "But it is also wrong. It is not destroying everything. This is a truesoul." I said, holding up my hand and willing a truesoul into existence. It appeared as a tiny mote of light, gently floating between my index finger and thumb. "It is nothing, yet everything. Every being has one – be they spirit, god, or mortal, this is the core of existence. It is the very fundamental of who you are, the very last inch of a being. Do you truly believe it coincidence that for a Karmic Immortal, the last trial is for every inch but one to die? No. This is everything that is important in a soul, the most important thing. And within it lies a being's connection to me. To the Dao." I explained, letting the freshly-born soul go. It drifted gently in the wind; it was Elvira who caught it, staring at the soul with a complex expression.

"To erase everything but that would be to erase all personality, all ego, all experiences; every inch but that which is most important to it, then to let it go back into the stream and build itself anew. Some may even ask for this kind of a reset; such is the weight of living, at times. The weight can be too much to bear." I said softly, sadly. In those cases, such an act as this could even be considered merciful, loathe as I was to admit it. Such a soul had to be severely depressed, or just tired, to agree to such a thing, however. I had nearly taken that option in my old universe, once.

Once.

"But I don't see most of these dark angels opting for this. They haven't cut themselves off from me, yet." I continued, shaking off my sudden bout of melancholy. "I give it a few millennia, maybe, before they accept the offer of redemption. Theirs will be a hard path, and their karma will undoubtedly be hard to deal with, but the end will be worth it. To exist in such a state as they is to exist in constant misery. Joy is almost painful for them; but it is all they know, and as such, the Light scares them. And like I said; the reset is a last resort option. A truly drastic measure, not to be taken lightly, and reserved for very specific things."

"I see." Sol answered, though I could tell he did not. I smiled softly at him.

"Thank you for answering." Gilles added. "And pardon our intrusion."

"Nonsense. Stay, stay! You are more than welcome. I believe we have almost finished, however," I replied, glancing at my children to make sure that was correct. They nodded in unison, Alexander flicking his head to the side distractedly.

"There is not much else to say." He muttered.

"I see. Then I regret to inform you that I will not be much help in this coming storm." I admitted softly. They all snapped their attention to me, almost expecting what I was to say next. "This is a battle between my children, yes, but the truth is something besides that. The battle with the Shadow will be a deciding factor for the future of the Four Realms, and I must push forward with stabilizing them. The basic foundation is there, but I must do more. The Lunar Star has to be made. The Pillars must be nurtured. And others, as well. I fear collapse if not." I reasoned, only being ninety percent truthful. I would absolutely step in to this battle. The cost of me doing so, however, would be high...though it would be higher if I continued to wait and let the Shadow grow stronger.

"As you will it. Leave the care of the Four Realms to us, Father, while you complete your works," Elvira said with a slight bow.

"…yes." Reika said, giving her sister a condescending glance at her formality. She shot a glare back in response, one that said 'I'm putting on a show for the present gods,' much to my amusement. "That. Don't work yourself too hard, Mother. I worry for you." I chuckled as Reika walked up and wrapped me in a hug, returning the gesture fondly.

"It is my pleasure to work as hard as I must for you." I whispered back. She squeezed me harder in response before pulling away.

"I must go now. Some things require my attention. I love you, Mother," she said.

"And I love you," I replied as she vanished. Keilan and Alexander both muttered their own "loves" and "farewells," Alexander leaning forward for a hug while Keilan just vanished, touch-averse as he was, leaving me with Elvira, Gilles, and Sol. Plus the other assembled gods, who had yet to interject.

There were other things I had to be doing, visions to meditate on, power to amass, and people to visit. Kei and Dei were foremost on my mind at the moment, but Elvira was shifting her feet awkwardly, smiling at me like she had something to ask but knew I needed to go, so had decided her question was less important than my time. A, quite frankly, stupid idea. But I loved her for it.

But I didn't have the patience for her hesitation, either.

"Well? Are you going to ask me your question, or not?" I pressed. She smiled thinly, chuckling to herself.

"Sorry, sorry. I wanted your permission for something. But…it's something you had best see, lest I explain it poorly." She said. I hummed in the back of my throat, now well and truly curious.

"Show me."